The invention relates to trash or litter compactors, and more particularly, to a trash compactor apparatus and method adapted for efficient use of space. The trash compactor apparatus and method of the invention are therefore suitable for compacting applications in which the space available for compacting is limited, such as in automobiles for example.
Trash compactors are appliances used to compact trash or litter as it is collected. Trash compactors include generally a trash receptacle in which trash may be deposited and a compacting mechanism that is adapted to extend a compacting head into the receptacle periodically in order to compact the trash in the receptacle. Compacting trash as it is collected makes efficient use of trash receptacle space and thus generally reduces the size of trash receptacle required for a particular application. The efficient use of trash receptacle space also allows the receptacle to be emptied less frequently.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,729 to Mandrup illustrates a trash or refuse compactor adapted particularly for household use. The Mandrup compactor may advantageously be incorporated into a kitchen counter as a built-in to save kitchen space and includes a housing that houses a lower trash receptacle and a compacting mechanism mounted above the receptacle. The receptacle is adapted to be pulled out of the housing similar to a cabinet drawer to provide access for depositing trash into the receptacle. The compacting mechanism includes a scissor jack or pantographic linkages driven by a drive screw to alternatively extend or retract a compacting head. With the receptacle drawer closed so that the receptacle is positioned directly below the compacting mechanism, the compacting mechanism is adapted to extend the compacting head downward into the receptacle to compact the trash or refuse deposited therein. After compaction, the compacting mechanism retracts the compacting head from the receptacle so that the receptacle drawer may be opened and more trash deposited.
The trash or refuse compactor taught by Mandrup is well suited for household use since it may conveniently and attractively be incorporated into a kitchen counter similarly to other built-in appliances such as dishwashers. However, the Mandrup compactor requires a good deal of space because the compacting mechanism is positioned above the receptacle drawer and the entire receptacle must be pulled out in order to deposit trash therein. The space required makes the Mandrup compactor ill suited for many applications in which the space available for a compactor is restricted or limited, such as applications in automobiles for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,060 to Burke illustrates a trash or litter compactor specifically adapted for use in vehicles. The Burke compactor includes an elongated casing having a removable end portion and a side opening near the end opposite the removable end portion. A hand operated piston is slideably mounted in the casing on a compactor rod and adapted to be extended into the removable end portion for compacting trash, deposited into the casing through the side opening, into the removable end portion.
Although the Burke trash or litter compactor could be horizontally disposed and could therefore be adapted for use in a vehicle, the compactor was hand powered. Also, in order to deposit trash into the casing for compacting, the piston had to be withdraw substantially to the front end of the elongated casing with the compacting rod extending a substantial distance from the front of the elongated casing into the vehicle passenger compartment. Also, since trash had to be deposited into the casing through a side opening, the front end of the casing itself had to extend substantially into the passenger compartment.